Safety razor and blade magazine therefor



Feb. 17, 1948. w. sTElNBACH 2,436,026

SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE MAGAZINE THEREFOR Filed April 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WARNER STEINBACH ATTORN E YS Feb. 17, 1948. 'THNBA H 2,436,026-

SAFETY RAZOR AND BLADE MAGAZINE THEREFOR Filed April 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z5 INVENTOR WAR/V67? JTE/A/BACI/ ATTORNEYS an n-a. 11.1w" 1 Warner steam Maplewood, N. J.

Application April 1:. 1m. Serial No. seam This invention relates to a magazine for doubleedge safety razor blades. a razor therefor and means whereby the magazine be mounted on the razor to inject a new blade while simultaneously electing a dull one. Magazines for double-edge blades have been proposed-I, myself. haveinvented such and have flied two applications for patents on them: Serial No. 571,260, now Patent No. 2,410,311, issued Oct. 29, 1946, and Serial No. 580,594-but those magazines--including my own-have been designed for mounting on a razor. which, despite various modifications to adapt it to magaaine feed, has been conventional at bottom, being provided with a central. threaded stud or rod depending from the cap or outer clamping plate and engaging a threaded socket in the handle, and also with blade-locating pins or medial bar, likewise depending from the cap and extending through or into the guard plate. It is impossible to feed a conventional blade into position between the cap and guard plate of such a razor without a complete separation of the two. and as this is not feasible, it has been necessary to provide the blade with a medial slot slightly wider than the thickest stud. rod, pin or bar and left open at one end so that the blade can be fed into shaving position, open and foremost, straddling all obstruction and likewise be ejected closed end foremost. It has thus been necessary always to mount the mega zine on that end of the razor head adjacent the open end of the dull blade so that the dull blade may be elected in the proper ection; that is to say closed end foremost.

It is the object oi the present invention to provide means whereby a slotted double-err blade of any standard maize can be mounted in a magazine and fed from it. lengthwise. between the cap and guard plate or a double-edge razor while simultaneously electing a dull blade, it be= ing a matter oi indiderence on which end of the razor head the magazine is mounted or in which direction the dull blade is moved for election.

I attain this object, generally speaking. by moving the threaded rod train the sap to the handle and providing the cap with a'threed socket or hole for receiving it. To disengage guard plate and handle from the cap the rod isunscrewed from its socket d may then be retracted into the handle, its upper end g flush a cum. (or. 80-40) 2 would likewise prevent blade movement, I provide the guard plate with vertically yieldable medial guides which enter slots or other appropriate recesses in the under face or the can In order to hold the cap and guard-plate in proper position to receive a new blade after the threaded rod has been unscrewed from the cap and retracted. 1 provide the magazine with resilient fingers which grasp the cap and guard plate and hold them so that the space between them is properly aligned with the blade discharge slot in the magazine during the blade injecting and ejecting operation.

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The magazine itself is provided with means for holding a stack of standard notched and slotted double-edge blades with their cutting edges out of contact with the side walls of the magazine. A spring urges the stack toward the top of the azine with the topmost blade in alignment with a blade-discharge passage. A slide mounted for longitudinal movement in the top oi the w =-azine engages the rear end of the topmost blade and, properly manipulated, discharges that blade from the magazine and into the blade-receiving space between the cap and guard-plate oi the razor while simultaneously ejecting the dull blade from that space. During this operation the blade-clamping pressure has been relaxed, due to the retraction of the threaded rod. so that the dull blade is held but slightly flexed and under reduced tension. The yieldable medial guides in the guard plate enter the slots in the blades to guide and center them. They cfier no obstacle to the passage oi the blades because they are depressed by the solid end portions of the pass blades.

My invention will be more fully understood from a study of the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of it, although no doubt other embodiments could be de vised within its purview, and these too are ernbraced within my claims.

. maganne oi Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of the magazine detached from the razor.

Figure 4 is a view taken along line M of Figure 3, showing the underface of the top of the magazine,

Figure 5 is a view taken along line 6-5 of ure 1, above the blades.

. e 6 is a view on along line t-t oi amino 3 'urelbelowthebladeintherasorandshowing themagaainewiththebladesandpressureplate FigureiZisstransversesectiontakenalong line it-II of Figure 1,

Figure 13 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale taken along line iI-II of Figure 1,

Figure 14 is a vertical lonsitudinal section through the razor and magazine of Figure l, but showing the new blade partly led into the space between the cap and the guard plate and a dull one partly elected, and

Figure ISisaperspectiveviewoithespring which urges the stack of bladu against the top or the magazine casing.

The razor illustrated in these drawings comprises an upper clamping plate or cap it, a lower clamping plate or guard plate II, and ahandle 22 upon which the guard plate is permanently mounted. The handle is provided with a hollow bore within which is mounted a rod It having a threaded upper end is and terminating at its lower end in a fluted or knurled knob II which lies belowthe handle. The rod II is freely rotatable within the handle and is slidable limgitudinally thereof within the limits set by a 2t whichengages the threaded end 24 or the rod,asi1lustratedinl"igure1..1nordertoclamp and flex the blade between the cap and guard plate the threaded end a oi the rod 28 is inserted within the hole it and turned by means of knob 26 to draw the cap toward the guard plate. To separate the cap and guard plate, the rod 2: is unscrewed. Although the clamping action is the same this arrangement or parts is the reverse of the one commonly found in meets or this type where the cap is provided with a depending threaded stud which engages a threaded socket in a rod rotatable within the handle.

Although the threaded end II of the rod 28 positions the blade centrally between the guard plates it cannot, or course, ali n the cutting edges oi the blade with the edges of the clamping plates. lin order to do this, I have provided the guard plate with two pivoted lugs or wigglers 29 pivoted on tramverse pins II and lying within a medial slot 32 in the upper face or the guard plate. These wigglers are nicely balanced so that they will remain in equilibriumin any position. One end or the other, or both ends of each wiggler always project above the upper face or the guard plate and hence act as centering guides for a standard slotted blade. The under race or the cap is provided with recesses in the form of medial slots 33 into which the wigglers project when the parts are in shaving position and hold the cap in alignment parallel with the guard plate.

The. magazine comprises a casing having a bottom It, a top II, side walls It, rear walls 81 andtrontwalls ls.thebottom.side.backandtsasillusn'atedtobrimthc oves :6

r 4 irontwallsoonstitutingaunitarrxlpreierab l! or 'i'heinnercornersot caaingare wlthverticalguideblocksllwhichcocperatingwiththecut-out'cornersorastandsrd doubie-edge bladeacttocenterthestackedblades andholdtheircuttingedgesoutoicontactwith thesidewallsoithecasing. Thetworearguide blockseatendtothetopoithecasinnthetwo irontonesterminateattheloweredsectahorisontaiblsdef-dischargepassagelhasdeepao thicknusoiabladebetweenthetopedge trontwallll andthetopflotthecasing. ably mounted within a longitudinal slot 4: in the top is a slide 40. provided with knob ll. lbs-ward movement orthis theslotflservestoexpelabladein tobesescribedpresenuy.

Bupporteduponthebottomoithe I isaleafsplflnsuJilustratedindetailinllsure i5. 'l'hislpri sisniadciromasbeetoispring The slide 43 when in its retracted position overlies the;thick rear wall :1 or the casing and within a wide slot It provided for its reception.

ly otthe casing, which is likewise true or the ends of the blades. Thus, when the forward edge oi the slide engages the rear edge or the topmost blade to discharge it there is no tendency for the blade to cant. When the slide is moved to the left through manipulation of the knob 44, the adeisdisengagediromthestackand ard through the discharge passage 4|, the lower blade being held back by the forward wall which terminates below the discharge passage. the disehargemovement, the topmost blade is centered with reference to the casing by the action of the slide as lust described andso is moveddirectly from the magazinetc the suiding wigglers or the razor with its cutting edges held out or contact with the side walls II. The slide is so proportioned that it can follow the blade through the discharge passage ll until the new blade is properly pontioned in the razor. whereuponfthe slide is returned to its initial positionattherearoithemagasineandheldin readiness glto discharge another blade. Meanwhile, the te it under the pressure or the spring I! has raised the whole stack by the thickness of one blade and another blade is now in position to be discharged.

I shall now describe the means (or mounting the magazine upon the razor and conditioning the latter (or the reception or the new blade. The maganne is provided with two pairs of lingers extending horiscntaliy from its discharge end; the upper and longer pair is are mounted uponandextendircmthetopottheca'singand the lower andshorter pair lt'extendiirom a tothe metaltop Ilpi' H "constitute anintesralpartoianietalstrip securedtothebottomoithecasingand aisegoae pro 1 r ante below the am M. The fingers were resilient in order that they may grasp and hold the razor cap and guard plate between them and the ringers I3.

The lower face oi the guard plate It is provided with guideways 55 designed to receive the fingers 53. The top oi thecap It is provided with a pair of grooves designed to receive the fingers 52. Thus, the magazine can be mounted on the razor by thrusting the lingers 53 within the guideways 55, while the fingers 52 lie within the grooves 58, and being resilient act to grasp and hold the razor cap. However, in order to insure against accidental longitudinal displacement during the blade-feeding operation, 1 provide the lower face of each finger 52 with a pair of hemispherical buttons 51 which snap into corresponding depressions IO lying within the rooves 56. Thus, when the magazine is thrust home. the buttons 51 snap into their proper depressions 58 and hold the parts against accidental displacement, although, of course, the pressure exerted by the fingers is not sogreat that the magazine cannot be readily removed by the shaver by the exertionof a slight purposeful pull. The fingers 53 are likewise provided with transverse projections 59 which snap into transverse notches en in the side walls of the guideways 55 for the same purpose.

I shall now describe the steps employed in feeding a new blade to the'razor and ejecting an old one. The magazine is mounted upon either end of the head of the razor as just described, the parts then occupying the position illustrated in Figure 1. The threaded end 24 of the rod 23 being screwed into the aperture 28 of the cap and extending through the central hole in the blade, it is, of course, impossible either to feed a new blade into position or to eject the old one. As soon as the magazine is mounted upon the razor, the first step is to unscrew the rod 23 from the can by manipulation of the knob 25 and then to retract the rod until its upper end lies flush with or below the upper face of the guard plate, as shown in Figure 14. The dull blade is now held in position only by the wigglers and by the.

reduced tension imposed by the resiliency of the fingers 5d. The slide M is now pushed to the left, feeding the topmost blade in the magazine into the space between the cap and guard plate oi the razor. The new blade engages the adjacent end oi the dull blade and moves the latter forward. As the closed ends of the blades engage the near end, it previously raised, of each wiggler, that end is depressed and the far and raised, the spacing between the ends of each wiggler being such that the rising far end cannot engage the solid metal but passes upwardly into the slot of the outgoing dull blade. When the closed ends of the blade next engage the raised far end of the wiggler previously encountered, that end' is depressed and the near end raised, passing upwardly into the slot of the incoming sharp blade which is then in position to receive it. When the slide til has reached the limit of its travel, the old blade will have been ejected and the new one moved into proper position in the razor. Thereupon the knob 25 is manipulated to return the threaded end 2% to the threaded hole 2t and securely flex and clamp the new blade in shaving position. The magazine is then removed from the razor and the slide 43 moved to its inoperative position at the right-hand end of the magazine.

I claim:

' therefor; the-razor comprising a guard plate. a

handle mounted thereon, a cap. a threaded rod 'rotatably and retractably mounted within the handle and a correspondingly threaded socket in the cap for receiving the threaded rod; the

magazine comprising a casing for a stack ofnotched and slotted double-edge blades, a blade discharge passage at one and oil the casing. fingers extending from the discharge end oi the casing, and designed to grasp and hold the cap and guard plate after retraction of the threaded rod from engagement with the cap. with the dull blade in the razor in alignment with the discharge passage of the magazine. and means for discharging a single blade from the casing and feeding it between cap and guard plate while ejecting the dull blade.

2. The combination 01' a double-edge sarety' razor and a removable blade-feeding magazine therefor; the razor comprising a guard plate. a

handle mounted thereon, a cap. a threaded rod rotatably and retractably mounted within the handle, a correspondingly threaded socket in the cap for receiving the threaded rod, and yieldable medial guides on the razor; the magazine comprising a casing for a stack oi notched and slotted double-edge blades, a, blade discharse e at one end of the casing, resilient fingers extending from the discharge and oi the casing and designed. to grasp and hold the cap and guard plate after retraction of the threaded rod from engagement with the cap, with the dull blade in the razor in alignment with the discharge passage of the magazine, and means for discharging a single blade from the casing and feeding it between cap and plate while razor and a removable blade-leading magamne therefor; the razor comprising a guard. plate, a handle mounted thereon, a cap 1 a :1 medial re cesses in its underface, a thread rod rotatably and retractably mounted wi w-w the handle. a corresponly threaded socket in thecap for receiving the threaded rod and Vieldable mal guides on the d plate dosed to enter the recesses in the underi oi the cap; the in 1 1*. zine comprising a i L- i tor a stack oinotched and slotted double-edge blades, a blade -5 1 w h passage at one end of the c i i extending from the disc ,1 1 and designed to grasp and hold theicap guard plate after retraction of aded r from engagement with the cap, withijthe dull blade in the razor in ii ent with-.Ethe discharge passageoi the 1 a and m for discharging a single blade from the casing and feeding it between cap and guard plate we ejecting the dull blade. j:

4. The combination of a double-go saiety razor and a removable blade-t therefor; the razor comprising a guard plate, a handle mounted thereon. a cap. a ded rotatabiy and retractably mounted thin the handle, a correspondingly threaded socket in the cap for receiving the threaded rod, deways on the underface of the guard plate and grooves in the upper face of the cap; the magazine comprising a casing for a stack 0! notched and slotted double-edge blades, a. blade disce passage at one end of the casing. fingers extending from the discharge end of the casing and designed to enter the guideways and the grooves magma 5. The combination oi a double-edge safety razor and a removable-blade-ieeding magazine therefor; the razor comprising arguard. plate. a

handle mounted thereon, a cap, a threaded rod rotatably and retractably mounted within the handle, a correspondingly threaded socket in the cap for receiving the threaded rod, guideways on the underiace oi the guardplate and grooves the dull blade in the razor in alignment with the.

discharge passage oi the magazine. priilections on the fingers designed to snap into corresponding depressions in the razor, and means for discharging a single blade from the casing and feeding it between cap and guard platewhile electing the dull blade.

6. A blade magazine for a double-edge safety razor having a blade-clamping cap and guard plate. comprising a casing for a stack oi doubleedge blades. each having a-longitudinahmedial slot, closed at its ends. and corner notches, a blade-discharge passage at one end oi the casing, fingers extending from the discharge end oi the casing designed to hold and grasp-between them the cap and guard plate or the razor. and means for discharging blades iromthe magazine one by one.

7. A blade magazine for a double-edge safety razor having a blade-clamping cap and guard plate, comprising a casing for a stack of doubleedge blades each having a longitudinal medial slot, closed at its. ends. and corner notches, a blade-discharge passage at one end 01' the easing, resilient fingers extending from the discharge end of the casing one designed to engage the lower face oi the guard plate, the other the upper face of the cap. and means for discharging blades from the magazine one by one.

8. A blade magazine for a double-edge safety razor having a blade-clamping cap and guard plate, comprising a casing for a stack of doubleedge blades each having a longitudinal medial slot. closed at its .ends, and corner notches. vertical guides at the inner corners ot the casing to engage the notches in the blade and center them in the casing, a blade-discharge passage at one end of the casing. spaced resilient fingers extending from the discharge end of the casing designed to hold and grasp between them the cap and guard plate of the razor, and a slide mounted in the top oi the casing having a square end designed to engage the rear end of the topmost blade and discharge it from the casing through the discharge passage.

9. A blade magazine for .a double-edge safety razor having a blade-clamping cap and guard plate, comprising a casing for a stack of doubleedge blades each having a longitudinal medial slot. closed at its ends, and corner notches, vertical guides at the inner corners of the casing to engage the notches in the blade and center them in the casing. a blade-discharge passage at one end of the casing. spaced resilient fingers extending from the discharge end of the casing designed to hold and grasp between them the cap and guard plate of the razor, spring means for holding the stack of blades against the top of the casing with the topmost blade in alignment with the discharge passage and a slide mounted in the top of the casing having a square end 7 designed to engage the rear end of the topmost blade and discharge it from the casing through the discharge passage.

. WARNER. STEINBACH. 

